Imaging Substrate-Mediated Interactions

Surface feature and adsorbates perturb the electronic properties
of the surrounding substrate surface. This modifies the adsorption,
dynamics, and chemistry of nearby atoms and molecules. Using
scanning tunneling microscopy we have imaged these perturbations
and the resulting ordering and dynamics for benzene on Cu{111}
at low temperature and dilute coverage. We discuss the important
implications that substrate-mediated interactions can have on
the atomic-scale mechanisms and control of film growth and heterogeneous
selective catalysis.